Where we are

Together for a Healthy Ocean

The Ocean must be part of the solution to reach for sustainable development. The international community came together to explain why.

The Ocean is key in all of the cycles of life on Earth, including the climate and hydrological cycles, the carbon cycle, the nitrogen cycle and the oxygen cycle. In fact, the Ocean provides the oxygen for every second breath we take, and 2/3 of the value of all the natural services offered by the planet. It has cushioned the blow of climate change by absorbing 25–30% of all anthropogenic carbon emissions and 80% of the heat added to the global system. It regulates our weather, provides food for billions of people, and supports many industries such as shipping, oil and gas, marine and coastal tourism. A healthy Ocean supports human development, poverty eradication and economic growth.